The Way We Get By: Part 2, Forever Young
by AustinAnderson
Summary: When Finn and Puck decide to start a family, they must learn to deal with all of the drama that follows their choices.
1. Compromise

**Part 2: Forever Young **

**Chapter 1: Compromise**

* * *

_**Finn**_

I sat at the edge of my bed. Every now-and-then, I would glance back and check the time. 9:42. I still hadn't called Puck back yet; I couldn't think of what to tell him! "Hey, Noah, I'm sorry that I was being so realistic about our future"? I couldn't ruin our relationship any more than I already had.

I glared at the silver ring on my hand, thinking about Puck. He was all I could think about. I slipped it off and set it on my nightstand. My eyes spotted my cell phone next to my alarm clock. Should I just go ahead and call him?

Right when I reached out to pick it up, Puck's personalized ringtone went off ("Hello, I Love You" by The Doors). Surprised, I picked it up and answered.

"Hello?" I said.

"Babe, it's me," he answered.

I sighed. He was calling me 'babe' again. I think that meant we were okay. "Are you still upset?" I asked him.

"A little," he confessed. "I'm not sure how I'm gonna support us, though."

After much consideration, I caved in. "What do you mean? We're living in L.A. You got your pool-cleaning business, don't you?"

"You mean you'd move down there with me?"

"Of course I will."

"I don't know," he said, hesitant. "You said it yourself, it won't be enough to support a family."

Dammit, Finn, you blew it again.

* * *

_**Puck**_

"Why don't we just go live in New York?" I said.

"Really?" he asked.

"Absolutely," I said. "I mean, they do support same-sex marriage, right?"

"Yeah, you're right," he said. "But I don't wanna be the only winner in this argument, Noah."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He explained what he meant: "We could live in L.A., and just take a trip to New York to get married."

If I was right, this sounded like a compromise. It sounded like a good one, too, but I still wasn't sure if I wanted to through our future away in L.A. "I'll have to think about it," I said.

"Oh," he said. "Okay. I'll talk to you soon, then."

"Sounds good. Love you."

"Love you, too." The line went dead. I was left alone with my mind. I was only able to think for a minute or two before I fell asleep.

* * *

_**Finn**_

Puck wanted to make-up his behavior to me the other night, so he was taking me to see Marvel's The Avengers around 1 P.M.

I was an adult now, so I didn't need permission from my mom or Burt to go anywhere. I took a quick shower, dressed formally, and left for Puck's at about 10 A.M. I just knew he was gonna be surprised to see me.

I arrived at his house after a 10-minute drive. I knocked on the door. It swung open, revealing a 5'9" man with a Mohawk and a nipple-ring. He was in his underwear (he probably just woke up).

"Finn," he said, covering his area. "What are you doing here so early? I told you I'd pick you up at noon."

"I know," I said, "but I couldn't wait any longer."

His eyes moved from my lips to my hand. "You aren't wearing your engagement ring." Oh, crap. I forgot to put it back on.

"Oh," I said, realizing my mistake. "I took it off last night 'cause I couldn't stop thinking about you, and—"

He leaned in and made contact with my lips. He pulled away to say, "I couldn't stop thinking about you either," and then he made contact with my lips once more. He pulled me inside and shut the door.

"Is your mom home?" I asked between kisses.

"No," he said. He pulled away. "But I can't do it right now."

"Why not?" I asked.

"I got to take a shower." We stared at each other for a couple seconds. He winked at me and fled for the bathroom. I followed eagerly.

That day was the first time I ever took a shower with a man that I loved.

* * *

_**Puck**_

It took about a month before Finn and I could settle down in our new apartment. It had two rooms—a master bedroom and an office space—and two bathrooms—one in the master bedroom and the other next to the office space.

One night when we were stripping our clothes and getting ready for bed, Finn told me, "I'm glad I agreed to live here." We crawled into bed. I wrapped my arms around him and whispered, "Me, too," before we fell asleep.

* * *

_**Finn**_

Kurt was visiting to help me begin to arrange my wedding. I wanted it to be simple but fun. I'm sure since he helped arrange the wedding for my mom and his dad, he could help me and Puck.

"What colors did you have in mind?" he asked.

"Uh . . . maybe red?" I said. "I don't know, man, I never thought I'd be getting married so soon."

"Neither did I," Kurt said.

I raised an eyebrow in confusion. He raised his hand to answer my question. "Oh, congrats, dude!" I said. "When did you get engaged?"

"Shortly after graduation," Kurt said. "I was hanging out with Blaine in his room, and he said how much he was gonna miss me. And suddenly he got down on one knee and asked if I would marry him."

I couldn't help but smile. I was so happy for him. It seemed like everyone around me was lost in love: me, Kurt, Santana, Rachel . . . even Rory, who's been dating Sugar for about four months. God, his accent was so sexy. I kinda wished Puck had an accent like that, but his accent is sexy as it is, so that's fine.

"When were you planning on having the wedding?"

"I don't know," he said. "Blaine's probably gonna have to do all the arrangements because I'll too busy with work."

"Oh, yeah," I said, remembering his NYADA letter. "Did you get into NYADA?"

"Yeah," he said. "So did Rachel."

"Good for you! How is Rachel, anyways."

"She's been better," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she had a huge fight with her dads and they kicked her out of the house. I'm not so sure what it was about though, because she refuses to tell me."

"Where is she living? Is she all right?"

"Yeah, she's fine. She managed to contact Shelby and she's staying with her and Beth for the time being." He glanced at the invisible watch on his wrist. "Oh, look at the time! I gotta get back to Blaine in Lima before I have to go to New York."

We both stood up. I hugged him, said goodbye, and he left. I couldn't stop thinking of Rachel, and how much I cared for her. I told Puck about her and he just shrugged and said, "I'm sure she'll be okay." But I don't know. I had a bad feeling that she was gonna do something stupid.

The phone call I received the next morning told my instincts that I was right.

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED . . .**


	2. Benefits

**Chapter 2: Benefits**

* * *

_**Puck**_

The phone rang. I awoke with a start, realizing that it was morning. I yawned, stretched, and got out of bed. I lost my shirt and my pants sometime in the night, but all I worried about was getting to the phone before it went to voicemail.

Luckily, I answered it before it did: "Hello?"

"Puck, its Kurt!"

I sighed. "Dude, you do know it's, like, 6:30 in the morning, right?"

"I know, and I'm sorry. I just need to talk to Finn!"

"He's sleeping," I said.

"Then wake him up! I'm sorry, but this can't wait."

"OK, hold on."

I carried the phone back to the master bedroom. I reached Finn. I could hear him snore, but Kurt's news sounded urgent, so I did what he told me. I nudged Finn. "Babe, wake up."

He groaned. "It's—it's only 6:30, Noah. . . ."

"Kurt's on the phone. He says he has news that can't wait."

* * *

_**Finn**_

I opened my eyes and saw Puck standing above me. I yawned and sat up in bed. He handed me the phone and got back under the covers next to me. In a second, he was fast asleep.

"Hello?" I said, my voice revealing that I was still sleepy.

"Finn, it's me, Kurt! I got some really bad news!"

"Dude, what's up? You sound like you just saw a ghost or something."

"Finn—it's Rachel."

My instincts were right. Something bad had happened to here. Kurt told me everything he knew, and that was enough for me. I hung up the phone and tried to wake up Puck.

"Noah, come on, we have to go," I said. I kept pushing him but he still wouldn't budge. I knew I couldn't wait any longer, so I left without him.

* * *

_**Puck**_

About two hours later, I came to. I stretched again.

I looked to my side, only to see that Finn was gone. "Finn?" I called out. "Finn!" I walked around the entire apartment and still couldn't find him. I went back to our bedroom. The phone was left on his side of the bed. I picked it up and dialed his number.

After three rings, he answered. "Hello?"

"Babe, where are you? You left without telling me!"

"Noah, I tried to wake you up but it was impossible, as usual. I'm sorry, but I couldn't wait for you."

"What's going on? Where are you?"

"I'm about to board a plane to New York."

"What? Why are you going to New York?"

"Rachel's in trouble," he said. "She tried to commit suicide last night by overdosing on pills. Fortunately, Shelby found her before she died. She's in the hospital now. I just need to see her."

"How much was that ticket?"

"Noah, don't worry about it, okay? I used part of the graduation money my mom and Burt gave me. I still have enough left for rent for four months. We'll be fine. I just really need to see her."

"Okay, just be careful," I said.

"Don't worry, I'll be with Kurt and Blaine," he said. "Love you."

"I love you, too."

The line went dead, and so did my weekend.

* * *

_**Finn**_

I hung up. We were preparing to board the plane, so I picked up my carry-on and got into the line.

I ended up sitting in a row behind the right-wing, right next to the window. An attractive male sat down beside me, and a blonde female sat next to him.

The four-five hours of the flight was spent talking to the attractive male about football. He seemed nice. He said he'd like to stay in touch. I said my boyfriend would get jealous. He walked away, disgusted. Funny. Right before I told him I was gay, he liked me. He's such a good actor.

I searched through the crowd for Kurt and Blaine. After a good five minutes of searching, I found them. Blaine was wearing his normal colored high-water jeans. He definitely stood out. How did I not spot him so easily?

I approached them. "Hey, guys."

"Hey," Blaine said. "Where's Puck?"

"I couldn't wake him up in time, and I knew I had to get over here as fast as I could. How's Rachel doing?"

"She's good," Kurt said. "Like I said before, she's been better."

"Much better," Blaine added.

"Man, I feel so bad," I said. "I can't help but feel like it's my fault. I mean, we got back together just for me to realize that I like dudes. I feel like I took her heart and twisted it inside-out."

"I know how you feel," Blaine said.

"You do?" Kurt asked, concerned.

"Well, yeah. Rachel and I kissed at her party back when I was still going to Dalton. I truly thought I might like girls, but—" He turned to face Kurt "—I had you, and you're better than any girl I could ever date."

"Aw!" Kurt said.

"Guys, I appreciate that you get along," I interrupted, "but we should get going."

Kurt scoffed. "Thanks for ruining the moment, Finn." He walked off ahead.

"Don't worry about him," Blaine said.

* * *

_**Puck**_

I was going through my phone, looking at all of the pictures of Finn. He was erect in most of them, but they were still beautiful to me.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed. It was a phone call from Finn. I answered it: "Hey, babe, what's up?"

"Nothing," he said, "I'm just calling to make sure you're okay."

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said. "What have you been up to?"

"Actually," he said, "I have somewhere here who wants to talk to you."

"Oh, okay." I could hear the phone fumbling as Finn handed it to the person that wanted to speak with me.

"Hey, Puck."

"Rachel," I said. "You've definitely sounded better."

"I would've thought that some of Finn's charm would've rubbed off on you by now, but you're still an asshole."

I smiled. "So what's up?"

"Oh, nothing," she said, "I was just asking if you and Finn ever considered having a kid yet."

"What kinda question is that? We just moved into our new apartment."

"I know," she said, "but he was telling me about ways you two could help me, and the only option that would benefit you as well is being your surrogate."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Uh, Rachel, could you put Finn back on the phone please?"

"Sure," she said with her raspy voice.

The phone fumbled around again. "What's wrong?"

"Finn, we're too young to start having a family! We're not even married yet!"

"Look, Noah, we both know that we wanna have kids eventually, but Rachel could really use the money right now. She can't afford her medical bills, and her dads refuse to help pay for them. Shelby said she would if she could, but she has Beth to take care of first. . . ."

Beth. My daughter. "Finn, I already have a child."

"Yeah, but not with me! Don't you wan to start a famil with me?"

I couldn't say no in a moment like this. We were on the right track in our relationship, and I didn't want to ruin anything else. "I guess that'd be fine," I said.

"R-really?" he said. "Fantastic!"

"But, Finn," I said.

"Yeah?"

"Is Rachel even in

* * *

a condition to be holding our baby?"

There was a short pause before he responded: "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"What'd the doctors say?"

"They said after about two months, she'd be back on track."

"Okay, and can you wait until then to start the process?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Good. Love you, see you soon," I said.

"Love you, too. Bye."

* * *

_**Finn**_

I hung up the phone. I couldn't believe that I had to wait another two freaking months before we could start the surrogate process. Rachel needed the money now, but I guess this was better (wouldn't want the baby to have any deformities or anything).

I suppose I just let my hopes get too high. I could just picture my baby boy, having a Mohawk just like his father.

Whatever happened, I knew Puck was gonna have my back, and I was gonna have his. We were a family already.

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED . . .**


	3. Beth

**Chapter 3: Beth**

* * *

_**Puck**_

I was getting ready to leave for the airport. Finn would be landing soon and I wanted to welcome him home.

I was looking for my truck keys (lost them again!) when my phone rang. It wasn't Finn's customized ringtone, so I knew it wasn't him. I answered.

"Hello?"

"Puck, this is Shelby."

"Shelby," I breathed. "What's up?"

"I figured since you're out of high school now, we could finally have the talk."

"What do you mean, 'the talk'?" I asked. "I've gotten the talk plenty of times from my mom, especially after I got Quinn pregnant."

"That's why I'm calling. I need to speak with Quinn."

Was she feeling okay? She did know that Quinn and I weren't together, right? Did Finn not tell her about us while he was over there? "She doesn't live with me," I explained. "We're not dating. Actually, I'm engaged."

"Oh," she said. "Good for you! What's her name?"

"_His_ name is Finn Hudson."

"Oh! I'm sorry, I—I didn't know that—"

"It's okay," I said.

"Wow. I met him this weekend and I didn't even realize that you two were together."

"Yeah," I said.

"He's very cute," she added. "You're very lucky."

I blushed. Thank God she couldn't see my face right now, 'cause that would've made this conversation more awkward than it already is. "Thanks."

"Anyways, since you're obviously in a good place right now, I thought it'd be a good time for you to start seeing Beth."

* * *

_**Finn**_

I stood outside of the LAX. Puck should've been here by now.

A couple minutes later, I saw his crappy, beat-up truck down the street. I smiled. He pulled up, got out, and helped me put my bags in the back.

I got in the truck, buckled up, and we were on our way home. He reached for my hand. I let him have it, squeezing him back.

"I missed you," he said.

"I missed you, too," I said.

There was a minute of silence, and then he said, "Shelby called."

This was news to me. "Really? What'd she have to say?"

"Actually, she offered to let me have Beth every other week."

"Really? That's great! I'm so happy for you!" I leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. "But wait, how is that gonna work out. She lives on the other side of the country."

"We're moving to New York," he said.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah," he said. "I mean, we'd be able to get married, and I really do want to see Beth more often than senior year."

"But what about your pool-cleaning business?"

We stopped. Red light. He turned and looked at me. "I'd rather be happy than sorry." He leaned in and softly kissed me on the lips. "A family is what we want, right?"

I could not find the words to say. I mouthed yeah.

"Having a family means that we're gonna have to make some sacrifices here-and-there." He leaned in and kissed me again. "And this is my sacrifice for you."

The light turned green.

* * *

_**Puck**_

Another month later, we were settled into our new apartment. It was right down the street from Shelby's, and it had a little patio and an amazing view of Times Square. I kinda feel like this sacrifice was also for me, for a better future. It looks bright so far.

Shelby was bringing Beth over any minute now. She was 5 years old now. Shelby said earlier on the phone that she explained to her that her daddy was gay and had a boyfriend. I doubt she understood what she meant, but she will soon enough.

There was a knock at the door. Finn answered it. He opened the door to reveal Shelby and my sweet baby girl standing by her side, holding her hand.

"Hi, Shelby," Finn greeted politely. He crouched low so he could math Beth's height. "Hi, Beth." She turned and hid her face in Shelby's leg.

"Sorry," Shelby apologized. "She's still a little shy."

"Don't be," Finn said.

I walked down the hall and welcomed Shelby. I said, "Hi, Beth," and she must've recognized who I was 'cause she jumped into my arms.

"Daddy!" she said.

Shelby smiled. "She remembers you, Puck," she said. "It'll just take her some time to get used to Finn."

"I can deal with that," Finn said. "As long as she doesn't hate me in the end."

We all laughed a little, then Shelby said she had to get going to work. Finn and I were left alone with Beth. Thankfully Shelby left a bag of toys for her, because we didn't have her room set up yet.

* * *

_**Finn**_

"Why don't you take her out somewhere?" I asked Puck when he and I were cuddling on the couch, watching Beth play with her Barbies on the ground in front of us.

"You mean, like to a movie or an arcade or something?" he said.

I shrugged. "Yeah, something like that. Whatever she would like to do, I guess."

"But what does she like to do?"

"I don't kno ask her."

"Hey, Beth," Puck said.

She looked up. "Yes, daddy?" she said. She had the cutest voice ever.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?"

"U the zoo!"

"The zoo? OK, we'll go to the zoo tomorrow."

"Why not now?" she asked curiously.

Puck opened his mouth, but nothing came out. I spoke up for him: "Because all of the animals are in bed. They need a good night's sleep, too."

"Oh," she said, turning around and returning to her Barbies.

I watched her. Puck nudged me. I looked at him. "Thanks for having my back," he whispered.

"Anytime," I said. We pecked on the lips, and then it was time for bed.

* * *

_**Puck**_

Shelby had warned that Beth would want to sleep with us. I thought she was joking, but she was right.

Finn and I tucked her into her bed in her un-finished room. Then we got into our own bed. We barely even fell asleep when she crawled up under the covers down the middle, and settled between us.

She hugged onto me, even hugged onto Finn. "Goodnight," she said.

"'Night," we both said. We fell asleep, one big, happy family.

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED . . .**


	4. Sweet

**Chapter 4: Sweet**

* * *

_**Puck**_

We were sitting on the couch, sprawled across the loveseat. We were watching the season seven finale of _Supernatural_, our favorite show. We had to wait an extra week to watch it since we didn't want to frighten Beth.

Finn fell asleep on top of me, using my chest as a pillow. I held him close to me, feeling his warmth.

The show stopped, and the DVR menu popped up. I pressed "save" since he didn't get to finish it yet. I gently slid out from under him and picked him up. I carried him to our bed, setting him on his side of the bed (the left side). I pulled the blanket up to his neck, and then got in next to him.

* * *

_**Finn**_

I woke up in our bed, next to the most beautiful man in my life. He was watching me sleep. "Morning, babe," he said.

"Good morn—ahhh." I yawned before I finished what I was saying.

"What do you want for breakfast?"

I sat up. "But you made breakfast yesterday," I said.

"I know," he said. "But what do you want today?"

I shrugged. "Surprise me."

"Okay." He pecked me on the cheek and then got out of bed. He was half-naked, wearing only his underwear. Like it was every night.

I went back to sleep.

* * *

_**Puck**_

I went back to the room to wake Finn up; his breakfast was ready.

He ate it happily, and then we hopped in the shower. We were currently in the Honeymoon Phase of our relationship. Too bad it couldn't last like this forever. Nothing ever did.

We got dressed, and then I began searching the paper for a job.

"What are you doing?" Finn asked.

"Looking for a job," I said. "Our graduation money won't last much longer, and we have Beth and another baby on the way to take care of. I don't wanna see us living on the streets."

"Well, maybe I should get a job, too," he offered, sitting down next to me.

"It's fine," I claimed. "You can be the stay-at-home dad, if you want?"

He smiled. "Yeah, that's fine." He looked at the list. His finger pointed at the paper. "What about that one?"

I looked where he was pointing and read the title out loud: "Local Pool Lifeguard"?

* * *

_**Finn**_

Puck could easily get this job; lifeguards are usually sexy, and he definitely suits that.

"Well, yeah," I said. "I mean, you do know how to swim, right?"

"Of course," he said. "I had a pool-cleaning business. But what I mean was that I don't think being a lifeguard pays that much."

I looked back to the description under the title. "It says that they pay $23.50 an hour. That's pretty good, right?"

Puck sighed. "Yeah, I guess." He pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number.

About 20 minutes later, he hung up. "I got the job," he said.

"Congrats!" I said. I gave him a small hug and a peck on the cheek. "When's your first shift?"

"Tomorrow afternoon," he said.

I looked up. "But—but that's when Shelby's dropping off Beth."

"Yeah," he said, frowning. "I know."

"Do you think she'll be fine hanging out with me alone until your shift's over?"

Puck stared at the wall. "Yeah," he said. "She should be." He pulled out his cell phone again. "I'll let Shelby know."

* * *

_**Puck**_

I got dressed in my uniform and awaited Shelby's arrival. She was bringing Beth earlier so that I could see her before I leave.

There was a knock on the door. I stood up off the couch and answered it. Shelby was behind the boor, with Beth at her side, holding a picture.

"Hi, daddy!" she exclaimed.

"Hi, Beth," I said. "What's that in your hand?"

"It's a picture I drew for you and Finn." Her hand reached up and held out the picture. I took it and held it in my hands. It was a drawing of Finn and me, with hearts all around us, and Beth was between us. I smiled. "Thanks, Beth."

"You're welcome, daddy," she said.

I opened the door wider. "Come in," I said, gesturing inside. Shelby and Beth entered. Shelby sat down at the table, and Beth ran into my room to find Finn. I pinned the drawing to the fridge with the magnet photo of me and Finn at graduation. I sat down across the table from where Shelby sat. "They actually let her draw that in school?"

"Well, sort of," she said. "They were supposed to draw a picture of their family, and she decided to draw one for you. She showed it to the teacher, and she was disgusted—" I scoffed —"Sorry. Anyways, the principal called me about it and I had to describe to them your relationship with Finn."

"Thanks for sticking up for me," I said.

She shrugged. "It's no biggie. You're her father; I have no choice but to." She glanced at her watch. "I have to get going," she said, standing up.

"Yeah, me, too," I agreed, pushing my chair in. "Finn!" I called.

The bedroom door creaked open, and Finn came walking down the hall with Beth at his trail. "C'mon, Beth," he said. "We gotta go say goodbye to daddy."

She ran up and gave me a hug, and Finn gave me a gentle kiss on the lips. "I'll see you later," he said. "Love you."

"Love you, too," I said, smiling. I knelt to my knees. "Bye, Beth."

"Daddy, do you have to go?" she asked.

"Yes, I do. I gotta go to work so I can get money to buy you toys, like new Barbies," I explained. "Is that okay with you?" She nodded slowly. "But you're gonna hang out with Finn until I get back, okay?"

"Okay," she said.

I hugged her again, and then walked out to the parking lot with Shelby. "Have fun at your new job," she said.

"Yeah," I chuckled. "I'll try. See you on Sunday."

"Okay," she said. We both got in our separate cars and left.

* * *

_**Finn**_

I sat on the couch, flipping through the channels. Beth was sitting on the floor in front of me, playing with her Barbies. "What do you wanna watch, Beth?" I asked her.

She looked up from her Barbies. "Um . . . Barbie movie!"

"Barbie movie?"

"Yeah!"

I searched through the kids channels. "There's no Barbie movie on right now," I said. I read all of the shows that were on: "_Drake & Josh_, _Power Rangers Samurai_, _Glee_, and _SpongeBob SquarePants_."

"SpongeBob!" she said.

I clicked 'select' and it changed to the channel. Just then, the door swung open and Puck stood in the doorway. "Daddy!"

"Hey, Beth," he said, giving her a hug. He flopped onto the couch next to me. "Hey, babe," he said, pecking me on the lips.

He settled his head on my shoulder, and I wrapped my arm around him. Beth returned to her Barbies on the floor. "How was your first day of work?" I asked him.

"Just long," he said. "I liked it, though—great pay for not doing much."

I set my head on top of his. "Isn't it time for bed?"

"Yeah. Let's go to bed, Beth," he said to her.

"Okay," she said.

We helped her clean up her Barbies. Then we all brushed our teeth, and then climbed into our bed. Beth slept with us as usual.

Every time that Beth was over, Puck and I stayed fully-clothed the entire night, pajama-bottoms and all. I did love these nights, though. It made me feel complete, like God didn't hate me after all.

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED . . .**


	5. Visit

**Chapter 5: "Visit"**

* * *

_**Puck**_

I had just gotten off of work. When I got home, I opened the door to reveal Carole and Burt, sitting at the dining room table.

"There he is," Finn said. He stood up from the table and walked over to me. He pecked me on the lips. "How was work?"

I shrugged. "Just like any other day, I guess."

"Great," he said, smiling.

"Can—can I talk to you for a minute?" I asked him.

"Sure," he said. He turned around and said, "We'll just be a minute," and then he led me down the hall to our room, and shut the door. 'What's wrong?"

"Babe, you didn't tell me that your parents were coming to visit," I complained.

"They didn't tell me either," he said. "I got home from the store and they were standing on the front porch."

"Well, what are they doing here?"

"To visit us, of course!"

"You mean to visit you."

"They like you too, Noah. I mean, they kinda have to since we're getting married, but they really do like you."

I sighed heavily. "Is Beth still here?" I asked him impatiently.

"Uh—no, Shelby already picked her up. A few hours ago, actually."

"Oh."

"Don't worry, Noah; there's nothing to be afraid of. They're just gonna be here a couple days, and—"

"A couple days?! I don't think I can't stand them that long."

"Look, Noah," he said, sitting down on the bed. "I would be fine if your parents come by and stay with us for a few days. . . ."

"I wouldn't," I replied honestly. "I'm sure once you meet them as my fiancé, you wouldn't either."

He shook his head. I sighed, and then pushed him down on the bed. I climbed on top of time, immediately making contact with his lips. After a couple seconds of some hot making-out, he pulled away.

"Noah, I can't—my parents are _right_ down the hall!" he exclaimed.

"It's okay . . ." I tried, seducing him the best I could. I leaned in for another smooch, but he pushed me off of him and crawled off the bed.

"I'm gonna go talk to my mom and Burt. I'll just say that you were feeling sick or something, I guess." He neared the door. I turned over on the bed.

"Finn, wait."

He stopped and turned. "What?"

"I'm sorry, it's just—"

"No butt's," he said. "I'll see you later." He walked out the door, shutting it behind him. I let my head fall back onto the pillows, and all of the thoughts filled my mind. I knew then that I was wrong.

* * *

_**Finn**_

"Are you sure that Noah couldn't come?" my mom asked as we walked barefoot in the waves.

"Yeah, he wasn't feeling that good," I lied. "Plus, he just got off work, so he was a little tired. And those two things don't mix very well. . . ."

"Well, I'm just happy that you two are getting along," she said, smiling. "And I can't wait to attend your wedding!"

I blushed. "Thanks, mom. I can't either."

But right now I couldn't picture myself marrying Puck. There, I said it: his name is _Puck_. That just shows how made I am at him 'cause I _always_ call him either 'Noah' or 'babe'. I'm just so made with him right now. I can't believe that he wasn't cool with my mom and Burt spending a few days at our house. But a big part of friendship is forgiving. I guess I can't see myself doing that at the moment. . . .

It looks like he's sleeping on the couch tonight.

* * *

_**Puck**_

I took one of the four pillows on our bed and a blanket from the cabinet, and then carried them to the couch.

"Is everything okay, Puck?" I turned around to see Burt standing in the dining room, drinking one of _my_ Budweiser beers.

I shook my head. "Not really," I confessed.

"I can tell," he said. "I mean, you're sleeping on the couch and not in your own bed with my step-son."

I nodded. "And he actually called me 'Puck'."

He scoffed. "Seriously? Every time I'm around you two, Finn's always super lovey-dovey and calls you Noah like it's the most precious name that ever existed."

"I know. That's just it. I don't even know what to do."

"You asking for advice?"

"Uh . . . yeah, I am. Please."

"Well, I'm not so sure about how things . . . work with two guys, but after helping Kurt and Blaine out with their problems, I'm sure I picked up a few notes."

I sighed. "Anything helps."

"A lot of what I picked up was just admit that you were wrong and move on."

I shook my head. "I don't even know if that'd be something that Finn can do so easily."

Burt let out a small laugh. "Can't argue with you there. But trust me, it works."

I slowly nodded. "Well thanks, Burt. For everything. I really appreciate it."

"No problem." He picked up his beer. He took a quick sip and then said, "What were you two fighting about anyways?"

"Uh—it's just kinda . . . personal, I guess."

"That's fine. It wasn't my place to ask." He chugged the rest of the beer and set the empty can on the counter. "G'night, Puck."

"'Night, Mr. Hummel."

He left to Beth's room, where Carole was already passed out on her twin bed (Burt was sleeping on the floor). I turned and looked at the couch. "It looks like we'll be seeing each other more often," I mumbled, and then I flopped onto it.

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED . . .**


	6. Break-Up

Chapter 6: Break-Up

_(includes future-storyline included in my upcoming Seblaine fic)_

_**Finn**_

Puck and I weren't getting along that well lately. With Rachel carrying our baby, we've been arguing about everything—from the best brand of diapers, to names, and even nursery decorations.

We still don't know the sex of our baby, which I guess is why we can't agree on anything. But our disagreements aren't limited to baby drama. Like last night when my mom called, he got mad that he had to pause the new episode of Supernatural and wait for our conversation to be over.

"Can't you just let it go to voicemail and call her back later?" he had said.

"I'm not going to miss her call because of a television show, Noah."

His face when I walked away will be forever etched into my memory. His mouth was frowning, and his face was boiling red with annoyance. When I got off the phone and sat back down, he didn't even attempt to cuddle with me; he just played the stupid show.

I noticed that we weren't the only glee couple floundering, though. Santana and Brittany had since broken up because of their long-distance relationship. Tina and Mike broke up, but no one really knows why. And Kurt and Blaine.

Ever since Kurt was hired to work at Vogue Magazine, he's been distant with Blaine. We're brothers, so it's not like he tries to hide anything from me. Additionally, Blaine and I are mutual friends, so I get to hear both sides of the story. Mostly, it's just Blaine calling Kurt and he doesn't pick up. When they finally _do_ video chat, all they talk about is Kurt. This is all according to Blaine. Kurt's side of the story is much more two-sided than one-sided.

I sighed.

Here I sat, waiting for my fiancé to get home, when I heard a small knock at the door. I got up and slowly creaked it open, revealing the person standing behind it. It was Shelby.

"Shelby!" I exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Actually," she said, "I came here to talk with Puck. Is he home?"

"No, not yet," I told her. "He should be home any minute though. Do you wanna come in?"

"Sure," she said, stepping inside. I shut the door behind her and led her to the dining room, where we sat down around the table.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" I offered.

"Water, please."

I got up and walked into the kitchen. I took a tall glass from the cabinet above the sink and set it on the counter. "So what'd you want to talk to Puck about?" I asked as I got ice out of the freezer.

"Nothing too serious. My work schedule was switched around, so I need to change the weeks when he gets Beth."

"Oh." I threw a few ice cubes into the glass.

"I mean, when _you guys_ get Beth." She smiled nervously as she corrected herself.

I smirked. "Tap water okay?"

"Tap water is perfect."

I quickly filled the glass and walked back over to the table. "Here you go," I said, setting the glass in front of her.

"Thank you," she said, taking a sip. "So how're things with Puck?"

I shrugged. "Okay, I guess."

_"Okay?"_ She said, sounding surprised. "You guys _just_ got engaged! You aren't even married yet! You're still in the 'honeymoon' part of your relationship, and—!"

"Sorry, Shelby," I interrupted, "but I don't feel comfortable about conversing with you about my love-life."

"It's fine," she said. "I understand."

As if on-cue, Puck opened the front door and stepped inside. "Hey, babe," he said, pecking me on the cheek. "Hey, Shelby. What's up?"

Did he seriously just call me "babe"? He knows I love it when he calls me that, and I know I do too, but honestly? Here I was, talking to Shelby about how things weren't so great, and he comes home and calls me _babe_? But it did make me feel better, relieved even. To think for even a second that I was going to lose the love of my life crushes my heart.

"Well," she said, "they switched my schedule at work, so we need to work out a new time when you guys get Beth." She said it correctly this time.

"Oh," he said. "When can you have her?"

"Starting the 18th, I work Mondays through Thursdays, from 10 A.M. until 7 P.M.," she explained. "From there, we just switch off every other week?"

Puck looked at me, waiting for my approval. I nodded. He turned back to Shelby. "That's perfect," he said.

She smiled. "Great."

"Did you want to stay for dinner?" he offered.

"Oh, no," she said. "I really should be going." She got up and headed for the door. Before she left, she turned back to me and said, "Thanks for the water."

* * *

_**Puck**_

Things were starting to get back to normal. Finn and I weren't fighting anymore. It's natural for couples to argue, but we've been at it a little too much lately. I hate fighting with him. As soon as I scream what I have to say, I resent it. I just want to take it all back and hold him in my arms.

_Grey's Anatomy_ was on tonight, which is one of Finn's favorites. Even though it's a re-run, we still watch it. I don't care too much for it, to be honest; I just watch it for him—_with_ him.

In the middle of the episode, we were still a cushion apart. During the commercials, I managed to scoot over next to him. By the time it came back on, my arm was around him and his head was resting on my shoulder.

Things were _definitely_ back to normal.

That is, until the phone rang. I paused the episode, this time thrilled because The Musical episode sucks.

I reached over and picked up my iPhone that was resting on the couch arm. With one swipe of my thumb, I answered it. "Hello?" I asked.

I removed it from my ear and handed it to Finn. "It's for you."

* * *

_**Finn**_

"It's for you," Puck said, handing me his phone.

Confused, I took it and held it up to my ear. "Hello?"

"Finn, it's me."

"Blaine?" I said. "What's wrong? Why do you sound so upset?"

"I think I'm in love," he whispered.

I scoffed. "Why is that a bad thing?"

"Because it's not Kurt I'm in love with."

I quickly sat up. "What?"

"I'm in love with someone else."

"No, I—I heard you. I'm just kinda in shock."

I heard tears coming from the other end of the phone. "And we're still together." That took the cake. I wonder how Kurt will take it once he told him.

"Dude, what happened?" I said. "It's okay, you can tell me anything."

"Finn, don't you understand?" he choked through sobs. "I _cheated_ on him."

"With who?" I asked, invading his privacy. "Do I know him?"

"It was . . . it was Sebastian," he sighed.

"Are you serious?!" This news was almost too overwhelming for me. "Blaine, he almost _blinded_ you, does that not mean anything?"

The tears came harder then. "At first it was just a fling, it didn't mean anything. But it grew into so much more. . . . I love _him_, Finn. Not Kurt."

"But he almost blinded—"

"I know what he did, Finn. That doesn't mean you put a label on someone because of their mistakes." He took a deep breath and added, "He's changed."

"Is that so?" I asked sarcastically.

"You know what, Finn?" he said. "You can mock me all you want for what I did. I won't call it a mistake because it made me realize I was with the wrong person. I guess I'm sorry for confiding in you about this."

"Dude, no, I'm the one who should be apologizing," I confessed. "I shouldn't be such an ass. Gotta admit, though, he is pretty handsome."

The crying stopped. "Thanks, Finn."

"Don't mention it."

Suddenly, I could hear a muffled voice in the background. "Who're you talking to, killer?" I would never forget that voice. Soft, sexy, seducing. It was Sebastian.

"Sorry Finn, I have to go," Blaine said almost instantaneously. "Thanks for everything."

"No problem. Take care." I hung up, then turned back to Puck.

"What the hell happened?" he asked, immediately interested.

"It's a _long_ story," I said.

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


End file.
